Miniature rose plant named `Ruthie`

ABSTRACT

The subject of the present disclosure is a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant, named `Ruthie`, which is characterized by its blooms of near White to near Naples Yellow with a soft blush of near Poppy Red to near Carmine on the outer margins. The blooms are usually borne one to a stem with hybrid tea form but on occasion may be produced in sprays of 3 to 5 or more. The bush is vigorous, well-branched and produces moderate to heavy quantity of very fragrant blooms.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of a hardy,dwarf, bush plant of the miniature class; the variety being primarilycharacterized as white.

The variety is further characterized by:

Long stemmed blooms of hybrid tea-type form, borne usually one to a stembut on occasion in sprays of 3 to 5 or more. The blooms are held veryerect and well above the foliage.

It has a heavy damask fragrance.

The plant ranges in height from 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm). The canesare sturdy and erect with moderate branching and medium to heavy foliagecovering. The plant is a moderate to heavy bloomer that does well eitherin the greenhouse or outdoors.

The plant has good growth habits, well-shaped and attractive, bearingnumerous leaflets of average size. I have found this variety to beeasily asexually reproduced from cuttings.

The seed parent was Sonia (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,095), and the pollenparent was Little Melody (miniature rose plant, pink blend; LeslieStrawn; introduced by Tiny Petals Nursery, 1979). It differs from itsseed parent in the following ways. It is a miniature rose of near whitewith a pink blush, and Sonia is a floribunda of pink blend with no whitepresent on the blooms. It differs from its pollen parent in thefollowing ways. It produces a very tall, vigorous bush and blooms ofnear white with a pink blush; and Little Melody is a small, compact bushplant with blooms of pale pink with a pale yellow base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The single color photographic view shows, in plan view, three flowers ofthe claimed plant `Ruthie` in various stages of maturity from early budstage to nearly full blown stage.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The descrptive matter which follows pertains to roses grown in themonths of March through November 1988. The plants were grown outdoors inChula Vista, Calif., and are believed to be accurate standards for thiscultivar in similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere.

Referring now specifically to the new and distinct variety of miniaturerose plant named `Ruthie`, the following is a detailed descriptionthereof in outline; all major color plate identifications being byreference to the British Colour Council Horticultural Colour Chart,except where common terms of color definition are employed.

Type: Hardy, dwarf, bushy, greenhouse or outdoor, exhibition or gardendecorative potted plant.

Class: Miniature.

Variety name: Ruthie.

Flowers Borne: Usually one to a stem, but occasionally in sprays of 3 to5 or more on erect stems with foliage well below the blooms.

Quantity of bloom: Moderate to heavy both outdoors or greenhouse grown.

Bud:

Peduncle.--Average length (40 to 60 mm); average diameter and sturdy;ranging from near Scheeles Green (860/3 to 860/1 page 175) to nearSpinach Green (0960/2 to 0960/1 page 0960) with occasional tinting ofbronze.

Hairs.--Extremely small and reddish; located over the surface of thepeduncle but none on the calyx tube.

Calyx.--Color range same as the peduncle.

Opening.--Opens well in all weather.

Bloom: `Size when fully open.--Large for a miniature variety (50 to 70mm).

Petalage.--Double--25 to 30 petals, arranged regularly, plus 5 to 10petaloids.

Form.--Urn-shaped to ovoid as the bloom progresses. The petals remainsomewhat cupped with the apex and/or margins reflexed outward, becomingat maturity more loosely cupped.

Petals: Fairly thick with good substance; both the upper and undersurfaces of all petals have a matte finish.

Shape.--Outer petals are of a broad obovate form with a slight peak atthe apex. The intermediate petals are very much like the outer petalsonly narrower. The inner petals are a broad lanceolate form; and thepetaloids are also lanceolate with some occasional irregularities.

Color: Newly opened flowers from plants grown outdoors (March throughNovember of 1988), Chula Vista, Calif.

All petals.--Upper and under surfaces -- Ranging from near Naples Yellow(403/3 to 403/1 page 121) with a blush on the outer margins of eachpetal of near Poppy Red (16/3 to 16/2 page 16) when the bloom is firstopen to near White with a blush of near Carmine (21/3 to 21/2 page 21)on the margins of each petal when the bloom is open more than one day.(*Note: The blush of near Poppy Red to near Carmine only occurs onblooms exposed to the sun. During overcast weather or when a bloom isopened indoors, little or no blush is present on the margins of thepetals.).

General color effect.--Newly opened flowers -- Pale cream-yellow with aslight blush of pink on the outer margin of petals. One day open --Fading to near white with a deeper pink blush on the margins. Three daysopen -- White bloom with deep pink margins on all petals exposed to thesun. (*Note: No blush of pink will be present on blooms opened indoorsor with little sunlight).

Flower longevity.--(March through November 1988) Plant in pot 3 to 5days from bud with sepals reflexed to fully opened bloom. Holding atfully open with colors as described above for 3 to 5 days or longer. Cutbloom at livingroom temperature 5 to 7 days or longer.

Reproductive organs:

Stamens.--A generous amount arranged uniformly around the pistil.

Filaments.--Varying in length with shorter filaments more proximal tothe pistil; golden yellow in color with anthers also of golden yellow.

Pollen.--Abundant.

Pistil.--Short, spreading and abundant; pale yellow in color.

Ovaries.--All encased in calyx.

Hips.--Some.

Seeds.--3 to 5 or more in each hip.

Sepals.--Permanent; spear-shaped; open as the bloom opens.

Foliage:

Leaves.--Five to seven leaflets on the average; medium size for aminiature rose plant.

Leaflets.--Broad ovate-shaped.

Margins.--Very serrated with tinting of bronze, especially noticeable onthe newer foliage.

Color.--Color range same as the peduncle. Upper surfaces have asemi-glossy finish, and the under surfaces have a matte finish of aslightly lighter shade than the upper surfaces.

Rachis.--Medium strength; upper surface is grooved with very small hairsover the length of it. Under surface has few is any hairs but doescontain 2 to 5 small thorns.

Stipules.--Varying in length from small to medium; average width;tapering auricles angled outward at about 45 degrees.

Growth:

Habit.--Dwarf, bushy; tall height for a miniature rose plant.

Growth.--Vigorous and well-branched.

Canes.--Medium diameter; sturdy; very erect.

Main stems.--Color range same as the peduncle.

Thorns.--Averaging 10 to 15 per 10 cm on the main stems and fewer than 5per 10 cm on the branches. Pale yellow in color; small to average insize; hooked slightly downward.

Branches.--Color range same as the peduncle.

The miniature rose plant and its flowers as herein described may vary inslight detail due to climate, soil and cultural conditions under whichthe variety may be grown; the present description being of the varietyas grown in Chula Vista, Calif.

The following is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of miniaturerose plant named, `Ruthie` of hardy, dwarf, vigorous growth,well-branched and attractive in appearance, substantially as illustratedand described, characterized by its hybrid tea-form blooms, ranging fromnear Naples Yellow to White with a blush of near Poppy Red to nearCarmine, with flowers borne usually one to a stem but occasionally insprays of 3 to 5 or more.